As a freshman in Auburn, days will be filled maneuvering around campus, navigating through the maze that is the Haley Center, waiting in line for 30 minutes at the busiest Chick-fil-A in the country and coming to appreciate ratemyprofessor.com.
Nights will be spent in on-campus dorms and various hot spots on campus. All of this time on campus can be tiresome and busting through the AU bubble will be necessary.
Luckily, Auburn and the surrounding Opelika offer plenty of diversions to break the monotony of campus life.
Chewacla State Park is only a few miles from campus, but is home to waterfalls, biking and hiking trails, is dog accessible and full of lakes and streams.
Chewacla allows boat rentals for pedal boats and canoes for $5 an hour. Fishing is also allowed at the 26-acre lake. The parks rents out cabins to further enhance the camping experience.
"I love going on the trails leading to the back waterfalls," said Sam Parker, junior in sociology. "They have the best view."
Auburn is also home to its own bowling alley, where University bowling classes are taught, and will be home to a second movie theater in the upcoming year.
Downtown Auburn offers many different boutiques for students to shop at for different occasions. One of the newer downtown boutiques, U&I, offers an edgier style for students and residents to choose from.
"The clothes are a lot different from what you would find at some of the boutiques here," said Anna Claire Terry, junior in journalism. "They've got some awesome jewelry and shorts so there's something there for multiple styles. "
College students consume a constant stream of caffeine. Coffee and teas become a dietary staple. Caffeine, coupled with studying, become part of a college student's routine. Opelika offers a place where students can enjoy an amazing cup of coffee while studying in a quiet and comforting environment.
Owned by two Opelika natives, the Overall Company provides student with a homey feel.
"We have a great team of people here and we want a community oriented life here in the store where people can come in and feel loved," said owner Jay Pritchard. "We always make sure we have a great attitude and energy to serve people constantly."
The Overall Company sells different flavors of popsicles and interesting coffees, such as a whiskey caramel latte.
Opelika is home to a budding downtown area full of trendy bars, clothing stores and even a place to play laser tag.
Tiger Town is also located on the line between Auburn and Opelika. Chains such as Target, Hobby Lobby, Books-A-Million and Academy Sports are all located in the Tiger Town shopping center, just minutes from campus.
Although Auburn seems to be a smaller town, it is full of locally-owned stores geared toward students and residents alike. Students are able to benefit the local economy while sampling different restaurants, boutiques and local nature.
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